Summary of french regions' regional innovation ... - Europe en France

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urop’Act 

Summary of french 

regions' regional 

innovation strategies 

innovation 

DEVELOPMENT 

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strateg 

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metr opol 

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EU FRA 

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KNOWING 

european programmes 

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services 

enhance 

potential 

universities 

researchers 

Study overview 

January 2012 Edition 

This document is co-financed 

by the European Union as part 

of the Europ’Act programme 

Europe supports France 

with the European regional 

development fund.

Introduction 

Innovative economies and businesses are key success 

factors for the competitiveness and wealth of nations in the 

current globalisation. Increasing the innovation capacity of 

the territories and their different stakeholders (businesses, 

employees, universities, researchers etc.) is therefore a good 

way to prepare for the future. 

There is still a long way to go before the European Union 

becomes “the world’s most competitive and dynamic” 

knowledge-based economy. However, this goal has been 

resolutely pursued by all national, local and European 

policies since 2000 with the “Lisbon Strategy”, reaffirmed 

by the “Europe 2020” strategy for “smart, sustainable and 

inclusive” growth. 

This ambition requires the concerted commitment of all 

stakeholders and all public policies. Consequently, the 

2007-2013 cohesion policy and its French version, via 

the National strategic reference framework (NSRF) and 

operational programmes, defined research, innovation and 

entrepreneurship support as the key priorities of the new 

intervention strategy of structural funds in regions. 

Since 2007, structural funds have constituted a significant 

lever to help disseminate the innovation culture, assisting 

companies in carrying through their innovative projects 

and, more generally, helping the territories enhance their 

innovation potential. While not all territories have the same 

assets, all of them have innovation potential to be exploited, 

once this notion of innovation is interpreted in the broad 

sense (technological of course but also social and territorial) 

and that the “assets” and “comparative advantages” of the 

territory are clearly identified and promoted. 

To improve the identification of the specific strengths 

and weaknesses of the innovation process in each region, 

based on a proposal by the European Commission and in 

agreement with the French government, the French regions 

were invited, in 2007, to develop a “regional innovation 

strategy”, for experimental purposes but in keeping with the 

strategic objectives of the CRSN. Implemented in each of the 

French regions in accordance with a common methodology 

proposed at national level 1 , the SRIs were driven by three 

ambitions: that of a strategic approach based on a shared 

diagnosis of the assets and weaknesses of the territory, as 

part of a dialogue with all the socio-economic partners as 

well as local and regional players; the desire to impose a 

broader vision of innovation in all its forms; and the ambition 

to constantly improve coordination between national, local 

and European policies in favour of innovation. 

The results of the “SRI experience” are positive and now 

exemplary. SRIs are now universally implemented and 

have instilled a new energy into the already strong actions 

undertaken in favour of innovation and businesses in the 

regions, by establishing the conditions for increasing the 

number and success of innovative projects. 

In addition, the SRIs have opened up new opportunities and 

avenues of reflection and work for the future so as to further 

increase the efficiency of innovation systems (human 

capital, innovation management, design, innovative financial 

instruments, territorial cooperation, etc.). 

Finally, at a time when the future of European policies is 

under discussion (cohesion, research, clusters, etc.) and 

the territories have the opportunity, as encouraged by the 

European Commission, to commit to “smart specialisation 

strategies”, regional innovation strategies ensure that French 

regions are one step ahead while providing them with 

valuable experience with a view to future action. 

1 

“Method for the diagnosis of the innovation system in French regions”, ADIT, 2008 

2

Currently adopted and implemented throughout the regions, SRIs are above all a way to increase the 

number and success of innovative projects. 

In 2007, the European Commission proposed that the French 

regions, in agreement with the French government, each 

develop a “regional innovation strategy” to optimise the 

implementation of the European funds from operational 

programmes dedicated to research and development, 

innovation and business support. France firmly embarked on 

the SRI approach insofar as it was in keeping with European 

and national policies for innovation and competitiveness. 

The new programming initiated in 2007 marked a significant 

change in direction for structural funds, which must now 

serve the objectives of the Lisbon strategy and promote 

a knowledge economy based on R&D, innovation and 

corporate culture. However, the spirit of SRIs is also in line 

with the ambitions of the new Europe 2020 strategy for 

“intelligent, sustainable and inclusive” growth, to which the 

future cohesion policy must also ultimately contribute. 

Regional innovation strategies help gain greater insight into 

innovation and business requirements in terms of innovation. 

Thanks to the SRI approach, the regions believe they now 

have a better understanding of the demand and multiple 

needs of companies in terms of innovation than when they 

were preparing their operational programme. In 2007, 22 of 

the 26 operational programmes made no reference to the 

analysis of business demand or requirements in terms of 

innovation. Conversely, in 2010, 17 of the 26 regions claimed 

that the SRI approach had improved their understanding of 

the needs of SMEs in terms of innovation (advice, funding, 

human factor, etc.) 2 . 

2 

“Study of the evolution of diagnoses and regional innovation strategies within French regions as part of the ERDF OPs, 2007-2013”, ADE, July 2010. 

3

Adjusting the focus on businesses, the preliminary diagnoses 

of the Regional innovation strategies clearly showed that 

their needs are not solely technological and financial: what 

businesses, in particular SMEs and SMIs, also need to become 

more innovative is expert advice, qualified human resources, 

adapted financing tools but also, more generally, transparency 

with regard to the innovation support and assistance systems 

made available by public authorities. 

By interviewing business users, the SRI diagnoses highlighted 

the need to reinforce coordination between the multiple 

stakeholders (RDT, incubators, development and transfer units, 

technical platforms etc.) making up the regional innovation 

systems. These systems are often deemed opaque and 

complex by companies, who do not always know, in the words 

of the Alsace SMEs surveyed as part of the SRI diagnosis, “Who 

to start with to enter the system?”. 

With the desire to address the expectations and requirements 

of these key innovation players – businesses – SRI diagnoses led 

to a comprehensive review of innovation mechanisms within 

the regions from 2007 to 2009: what inputs does the region 

benefit from, for what outputs? Who are the stakeholders 

of the innovation system and what relationships are they 

governed by? Are financing tools adapted to the logics of 

innovation? What do companies need to take a leap towards 

innovation? The diagnoses performed by the regions (studies, 

surveys, working groups, etc.) made it possible to respond 

to these specific questions with a view to consolidating a 

strategy. 

4

Therefore, to address the need to improve coordination 

between the system stakeholders, several regions decided 

to promote a “business” or “key functions” approach (Alsace, 

Aquitaine) to innovation support and assistance structures, by 

envisaging the implementation of “Objectives and resources 

contracts” with these stakeholders (Limousin, Nord-Pasde-Calais, 

Alsace, Haute-Normandie), reinforcing the role 

of Regional innovation agencies (e.g. Innovergne, ARITT in 

the Centre region, SEINARI in Haute-Normandie, CARINA in 

Champagne-Ardenne), and even, in some cases, building closer 

links with their regional development agencies (Bretagne, 

Aquitaine), following in the footsteps of the SRI. 

In terms of innovation financing, the SRI diagnoses 

unequivocally highlighted the lack of instruments to support 

the crucial start-up and maturation phases of innovative 

projects (“proof of concept” problem for the first financing 

round), as well as the need to reinforce the equity (“capital 

financing”) of businesses. 

5

The SRIs now provide concrete responses to these challenges: 

creation of aid schemes or seed capital funds (Bretagne, 

Centre, Auvergne, Aquitaine, Bourgogne, Languedoc-Roussillon, 

Limousin, Midi-Pyrénées, PACA, Ile-de-France, Reunion 

Island, etc.), deployment of financial engineering, security, 

co-investment instruments focused on innovation, with the 

support of European funds (ERDF) and national financial 

partners (OSEO, Caisse des dépôts, banks), mobilisation and 

professionalisation of business angel networks, etc. 

All these practical and targeted initiatives are perfectly in 

keeping with the ambition of the SRIs, i.e. improve support 

measures for innovative companies by optimising the use of 

European and national funds. 

However, the SRI approach has also shown that increasing 

the number and success of innovative projects requires 

more than just additional financial resources. Stakeholders 

– entrepreneurs, students or researchers keen to innovate – 

must be ready to commit to an innovative approach. This is 

why the dimension aimed at reinforcing businesses’ demand 

for innovation or capacity to innovate is so important in SRIs 

and their action plans. Diagnoses universally demonstrated 

that the level of human resources and the command of nontechnological 

skills for innovation (management, IPL, patents, 

standards, etc.) feature amongst the most critical elements 

of businesses’ capacity to innovate. Thus, to increase the 

number of innovative companies, Regional innovation 

strategies envisage concrete measures not only to structure 

the R&D function within companies but also to disseminate 

the innovation culture (via initial and continuing education) 

and reinforce the innovation management capacity in SMEs 

and SMIs (e.g.: DINAMIC schemes in the Pays-de-Loire 

region, Pack-Services in Poitou-Charentes, Innov’acteur in 

Bretagne, etc.) 

6

WEAKNESSES 

STRENGTHS 

ALSACE REGION 

Limited weight of private R&D, essentially concentrated in 

companies employing 500 to 2,000 staff (transport, capital 

goods, pharmaceuticals, chemicals) = 0.84% of the GDP in 2005 

compared with 1.33% for the national average 

Small proportion of SFIC = 2.39% of jobs compared with an 

average 3.51% in the regions of reference in 2007 

Insufficient qualification of high-level human resources in 

companies 

Innovation system: limited collaboration between SMEs and public 

research; underdeveloped partnership culture and businesses’ and 

limited ability to absorb the results of public research; structured 

but insufficient steering and legibility (“Who should we start with 

to enter the system?”, according to companies); ability to support 

mature projects but limited emergence of new projects. 

Limited access to venture capital: dedicated private investment 

funds (biotechnology, ICT) managed outside Alsace 

Strong population growth rate: +7% between 1996 and 2005 

Diverse industry present on the international stage: France’s 

2 nd most industrial region in 2007 

Comprehensive and operational knowledge transfer and 

dissemination system (Conectus Alsace network, 6 CRITTs - 

regional innovation and technology transfer centres, 4 PFTs - 

Technological platforms) 

Well-structured innovation ecosystem coordinated by the ARI 

(Regional Innovation Agency) 

Universities, research centres and public R&D of international 

excellence 

Significant scientific production = + 20% patents between 2004 

and 2007 

Considerable cross-border cooperation within the upper Rhine 

area 

Competitiveness clusters: Alsace Biovalley, Fibres et Véhicule du 

Futur (Fibres and Vehicle of the Future), Hydréos and Energivie 

(certified in 2009) 

Winner of the Investissements d’Avenir award: SATT Connectus, 

Mix-Surg UH, IDEX Strasbourg and 10 Labex and Equipex 

(Laboratories and Equipment of Excellence) 

Findings of the Marketing territorial de l’innovation survey on the 

strengths of the Alsace region: 

> active, young and qualified population with internationallyminded 

HERIs (Higher Education and Research Institutions); 

> an industrial territory hosting foreign companies within 

reach of the major European economic hubs 

AQUITAINE REGION 

Growth dynamics fails to create jobs and innovation; poor 

specialisation in key domains; good scientific potential but low 

efficiency (inputs/outputs). 

65% of industrial firms are low-technology and unlikely to 

register patents (essentially instrumentation and chemicals) 

R&D largely concentrated in high technology and companies 

employing more than 1,000 staff (Aerospace, Medical and 

precision instruments, Optics, Chemicals, Health, Genomics, 

Imaging) 

R&D is essentially private 

Innovation system: multitude of players but lack of visibility; 

limited flow of projects; gaps in the innovation chain (in particular 

development support); 

Funding: strong focus on technological innovations; lack of 

seed capital (“holes in the racket”: investment does not exceed 

€100,000 in seed capital and €250,000 in venture capital); 

limited number of private players providing seed capital; 

opportunistic policy of venture capitalists; small number and 

insufficient professionalism of Business Angels 

World-class research in certain sectors (materials, laser) 

High public and private research potential (France’s 7th region 

for R&D staff) 

The region is currently being restructured (HER: PRES, IPB) and 

simplified: Innovalis, Aquitaine Valo, Allègre incubator for research 

enhancement 

Proactive policy (Aquitaine Regional Council: France’s no. 1 region 

in terms of proportion of the budget dedicated to RDI) 

Diverse offer in terms of risk capital (14 funds / €440 million) 

4 competitiveness clusters and 7 business clusters 

Strategic sectors: Aerospace, Wood, New energy sources, Laser 

and Photonics, Agri-food, Chemicals and Materials 

Winner of the Investissements d’Avenir award: IDEX, IEED 

Bordeaux, LYRIC UH, numerous Equipex and Labex (10) 

8

Summary of french regions’ regional innovation strategies 

STRATEGIC ISSUES AND DOMAINS 

(Promising Fields, Future-Oriented Sectors, Etc.) 

KEY PROPOSALS 

Promote entrepreneurship and innovation (Dare to innovate) 

Improve the appeal and influence of Alsace (Open up to the world) 

Become a region of reference on rapidly growing markets (Make 

choices) 

THEMATIC PRIORITIES OF THE SRI 

(REGIONAL INNOVATION STRATEGY): 

Green economy 

Health and well-being 

Humanism and society 

Support “Creativity”: graduate school of innovation and creativity 

(University of Strasbourg+Alsace Tech) 

Innovation cheque 

Human resources for innovation 

Innovation fellows (entrepreneurs assisting micro to mediumsized 

businesses though initial innovation procedures, in 

conjunction with the network of stakeholders of the aid system: 

project structuring, identification of the partners and skills 

required for the project, financial engineering, etc.) 

Creation of a commercialisation company based on the 

Connectus Alsace network 

SRI structuring: approach via “business spheres” focusing on the 

functions of the innovation chain rather than the structures and 

networking: 

> Awareness and promotion 

> Detection of requirements and support 

> Implementation support 

> Provision of services 

> Thematic collective strategies 

> Public research development and transfer 

> Raise the laboratories’ awareness of innovation and value 

enhancement (economic activities, patents, partnerships) 

Governance: the ARI as a focal point 

Moving towards a knowledge and innovation economy 

Technological skills rooted in the existing industrial fabric 

Disseminate technological skills: give priority to SMEs-SMIs 

Innovation in all its forms 

Formalise governance 

SRI's function approach with 9 functions identified 

Creation of a joint investment fund; guarantee the continuous 

financing of innovation by developing the offer between 

€250,000 and €500,000; optimise capital financing (consultation 

and cooperation, expediting decisions, anticipation) 

Creation of a seed capital fund 

Integration of structures dedicated to non-technological 

innovation (4 Design and Créacoll) into the Innovalis regional 

agency. 

9

WEAKNESSES 

STRENGTHS 

AUVERGNE REGION 

A region agging behind: Ranked 20 th in France in terms of GDP/ 

employment (-3 places since 1990). 

The decrease in active population generates recruitment 

difficulties and an increase in the number of companies for sale 

Dense network of micro companies (2008: 93%), poorly 

structured, family-owned, not export-oriented, lacking the 

resources to innovate (CIR: 15 th position in France), not very open 

to partnerships with laboratories 

The key industrial sectors are mature and create few jobs (AFI, 

textile, automotive, wood and paper, chemicals, rubber, etc.) 

with the exception of mechanical equipment; the Auvergne 

industrial sector has been hit hard by downsizing operations due 

to international competition (job losses between 1997 and 2006: 

-9% mechanics/metallurgy; -17% rubber/plastic). 

Creation of innovative businesses which create fewer jobs that 

the national average; few patents (15 th position in France); 

research insufficiently rooted in the territory: 60% of industrial 

research contracts are entered into with customers outside 

the region; lack of research in key sectors (mechanics, plastic 

processing, AFI, ICT, etc.) 

Well-structured but inefficient aid system, low on detection and 

seed capital and without governance 

Significant public research (public R&D staff in 2006: 2,497 FTE) 

and recognised scientific basis (Smart materials, Life sciences, 

Genomics and Health biotech) 

Strong presence of private R&D (13 th position in France in terms 

of private DERD): Michelin, Limagrain, ADISSEO 

Advanced technology transfer and research enhancement 

schemes (Auvergne valorisation, structure common to Clermont 

universities) 

Financial effort by public authorities, which provides companies 

with an almost complete environment 

Companies are financially healthier and business creations are 

more sustainable than the national average 

Pioneering region for the implementation of the JEREMIE 

(European scheme for SME access to funds) 

Public decision-makers very involved; full and diverse range of 

public aid for innovation 

Winner of the Investissements d’Avenir award: Equipex and 

Labex (4) 

BASSE-NORMANDIE REGION 

Genuine R&D offer but companies are unaware 

Transfer services and equipment are essentially based on a supply 

logic; only the incubator responds to a project logic 

Difficulties in the recruitment of qualified human resources for 

high-level positions and highly qualified industrial trades 

Lack of expert advice, except for production and quality 

World-class research capacity in “hard” sciences (nuclear physics: 

GANIL – National large heavy-ion accelerator in Caen) 

Outputs in physics and chemistry for publications, in 

instrumentation and electronics-electricity for patents 

Strong industrial skills: Automotive, Nuclear sector, Electronics 

(semiconductors), Pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry 

Highly qualified labour force; numerous companies work for 

the nuclear and defence industry (DCNS in Cherbourg – naval 

defence systems, SNLE) 


Labex (4) 

10




KEY PROPOSALS 

Support of SMEs’ innovation projects 

Enhance the value of research 

Opening up of the Auvergne economy 

Genuine governance 

THEMATIC PRIORITIES OF THE SRI: 

Nutrition – Food - Health 

Biotechnologies 

Future mobility 

Reinforce Auvergne Valorisation and the incubator 

Reinforce networking as part of Innovergne to support research 

enhancement projects via technology transfer or the creation of 

innovative companies 

Centre for entrepreneurship and innovation, the objective of 

which is to coordinate and structure all public aids for innovation 

in the region 

Develop the innovation and entrepreneurship culture 

Structure the regional innovation system and focus regional 

resources on “promising fields” 

THEMATIC PRIORITIES OF THE SRI : 

Health 

IT 

Materials / mechanics / metallurgy 

Environment, sustainable development and 

quality of life 

Reinforced role of MIRIADE (Regional Mission for Innovation 

and Economic Development Action) and agreements with all 

innovation stakeholders 

“Manufacture of Innovative Projects” to ensure a continuous 

support flow, by improving the integration of competitiveness 

clusters and networks 

Skills improvement programme: train fund raisers (public aid 

system, State aids, ERDF). 

Mobilisation of the renovated economic intelligence scheme to 

encourage laboratories and businesses to work on lead markets 

where they may have a competitive edge in the medium term 

11

WEAKNESSES 

STRENGTHS 

BOURGOGNE REGION 

Demographic downturn and expatriation of graduates means 

that qualified human resources is a scarce commodity 

Lack of activities in the domain of high technologies and KIS 

Limited economic specialisation and geographical dispersal 

hinder the dissemination of innovation 

Mutual lack of understanding and/or relationships between 

research and businesses, businesses and transfer centres 

Research and businesses insufficiently open internationally 

The Regional Council’s strategy lacks legibility and clarity; 

insufficient networking between transfer organisations; poor 

formal dialogue between stakeholders; stakeholders lack 

professionalism 

Positive evolution of public investments in R&D and technology 

transfer 

The innovation transfer and support system is well distributed 

across the territory, with a strong technological offer in the major 

regional sectors, working towards a regional technopole logic 

4 priority research domains: Agri-food (AGRALE), Materials, 

Health/ICST (Information and communication sciences and 

technologies), Humanities and social sciences (HSS) 

Public research enhancement scheme initiated as part of a 

resource sharing logic (UB filiale, Synerjinov programme) and 

based on completed and partner-oriented research initiatives 

(joint public-private laboratory, Pharminage JV, Gérontopôle, 

etc.) 

A small but dynamic circle of innovative companies and 

significant innovation potential, as attested by the increasing 

number of high-technology patents, the level of private R&D 

expenditure and the emergence of business clusters. 

Winner of the Investissements d’Avenir award: Equipex (2) 

Strategic sectors: Agri-food, Metallurgy, Wind energy, Rail 

transport, ICT 

BRETAGNE REGION 

Research intensity (DERD/GDP) does not live up to the potential; 

GDP per capita lower than the national average; low employment 

rate in high-technology sectors; limited appeal on the world 

stage; highly qualified human resources, which does not translate 

into more jobs 

Innovation system: diverse but unclear offer in terms of support, 

in particular for the uninitiated; lack of coordination and 

complementarity between the 90 existing structures; logic of 

competition for the “best projects” 

Funding: few private resources devoted to venture capital and 

seed capital; poor legibility and clarity of available aid; inadequate 

type and amount of aid (public aid eligibility); preference for 

technological and patentable products; shortage of seed capital; 

lack of Business Angels (“fearful” private players) 

Positive net migration 

Sustained growth in GDP 

Overall and female employment rate > French and EU average 

Public and private research staff 

Sharp increase in DERD, due in particular to private investments 

from 2005 to 2009 

Number of patents 

Widespread use of ICTs 

Winner of the Investissements d’Avenir award: Equipex and Labex 

(7), IRT, IEED 

Innovation system coordinated by Bretagne Innovation; strong 

network organisation, notably in terms of technological aspects: 

stakeholders specialising in sectors and technologies; local 

support and territorial networking 

12




KEY PROPOSALS 

Qualification and skills development at the heart of the 

innovation issue: develop human capital and entrepreneurship to 

improve attractiveness and competitiveness 

Network dynamics (hubs, business and competitiveness clusters) 

Support of non-technological innovations 

Open up the Bourgogne SRI to new ideas and international 

expansion 

Creation of a seed capital fund (BCI) and reinforcement of the 

entire regional public offer in terms of equity 

Reinforcement of the SME equity financing platform (“investors’ 

club”) 

Help companies recruit innovation project managers by 

integrating technological and non-technological aspects (project 

management, marketing, human resources, IPL) 

Scheme designed to help develop an innovation strategy 

(“innovation advice” cheque book) 

Address the risk of falling behind: 6 challenges for the SRI: 

Broaden the scope of innovation and reinforce the innovation 

management capacity in micro to medium-sized companies 

Improve the visibility of and access to the support system 

Provide assistance through all stages of the innovation process 

by reinforcing the networking of support stakeholders and 

enhancing public research across the territory 

Complete the funding mechanism (continuum) in particular in 

terms of seed capital 

Develop the international openness of innovation stakeholders 

Develop Brittany’s innovative economic image on the 

international stage 

Transversal challenge: develop governance (strategic and 

operational) to reinforce stakeholder commitment, the visibility, 

coherence and efficiency of the action for businesses 

Reinforcement of the innovation management capacity in SME 

(Innov’acteur) 

Creation of a regional innovation Index to gain a foothold on the 

international market (chart of trends, strengths and weaknesses, 

with a comparison at national and European level 

Structuring of the Réseau breton de l’Innovation via the reform 

and expansion of Brittany’s RDT 

Launch of unifying transversal programmes based on key themes, 

stimulating collaborative approaches (e.g.: Capbiotek programme 

on biotechnologies in Brittany) 

Launch of a development fund and a financing scheme for the 

seed capital phase of innovative companies 

Support the engineering of European projects to assist project 

initiators and increase regional participation in and coordination 

of European research and innovation projects 

13

WEAKNESSES 

STRENGTHS 

CENTRE REGION 

Lack of identity and technological specialisation 

Level of qualification below national average 

Economic development marked by proximity to Paris: competition 

between territories and risk of relocation 

Limited innovation capacity of SMEs-SMIs 

DERD: France’s no. 8 region (2006) 

Strong tertiary sector 

France’s 6 th largest industrial region (22% of jobs) 

Leading position in France in the following sectors: medicinal 

products (1 st ), cosmetics (2 nd ), rubber (2 nd ), graphic arts (2 nd ), 

subcontracting (3 rd ), electronics-IT (3 rd ), mechanics (3 rd ); 

automotive, the region’s no. 1 industrial sector with 30,000 

jobs; pharmaceuticals: 40% of the national production (Orléans- 

Tours and Dreux-Chartres axes), 3 rd behind the Ile-de-France and 

Rhône-Alpes regions; beauty products: world’s leading exporter 


Labex (4) 

Significant public research: 2 universities (Orléans, Tours); 

9 research institutes (INRA, INSERM, CEMAGREF, CEA, BRGM, 

etc.) 

CHAMPAGNE-ARDENNE REGION 

Worsening of the demographic situation 

Shortage of qualified human resources 

Weakness of innovation within companies 

Few high-technology services 

Limited academic research and risk of marginalisation within the 

national research restructuring movement (URCA) 

Structuring effect of the TGV 

Industrial tradition 

Champagne image 

Reims hosts innovative companies (regional incubator created in 

2007 by the Regional Council + OSEO) 

2 key lines of research: agro-resources and materials, based on 

2 inter-regional competitiveness clusters, IAR and Materalia 

(mechanics and metallurgy) 

HER restructuring: ENSAM (Châlons) member of the Carnot ARTS 

Institute (Research Actions for Technology and Society), Troyes 

University of technology, member of the Carnot UT Institute 

(technology and innovation through companies) 


14




KEY PROPOSALS 

Develop a European centre of excellence in terms of energy 

efficiency, based on the S2E2 centre (Electrical Energy Sciences 

and Systems) and the presence of the BRGM (Bureau of Geological 

and Mining Research) 

Build a territorial identity of innovation through associated 

services 


Reinforce traditional factors 

Energy efficiency 

Innovation through services 

Development of a proactive support offer with a unique network 

(RDT Centre) and annual workload plans (monitoring and 

evaluation), sharing of resources, diversification of the private 

offer 

Seed capital fund with OSEO 

Shared platforms and laboratories common to public research 

centres and companies 

Incentives for collaborative R&D projects 

Reinforcement of the region’s human capital: organisational and 

social innovation, GPEC, lifelong training and qualification 

Governance: pivotal role of ARITT (CSRI secretariat + extended 

CRI) 

Encourage social dialogue to enhance innovation at company and 

territorial level (“Innovation-related change requires significant 

effort by employees whose involvement is also a prerequisite 

for the pursuit and development of this innovation. Failure to 

acknowledge this fact can only increase the risk of failure. This is 

why it is essential to implement genuine social dialogue”, extract 

from the SRI of the Centre region) 

Enhance the development of the agro-resources and materials 

sectors 

Activate the innovation lever to support economic change 

Help companies develop via the innovation lever 

Disseminate the innovation and entrepreneurship culture 


Agro-resources 

Materials 

Aid for the implementation of the R&D function within companies 

SRI governance: reinforce the implementation of the CARINNA 

tool (ARI providing companies with services in terms of project 

engineering, transfer and development, innovation structuring) 

Training courses in innovation management and entrepreneurship 

Innovation-oriented work experience 

Facilitate access to funding for innovative companies 

15

The diversity of territories matches the diversity of Regional innovation strategies; 

while the tools may be similar (in terms of SRI structuring, financing, partnerships), 

their application must take into account the diversity of territories, i.e. their 

constraints, assets and potential. 

Regional innovation strategies contribute to a more strategic 

approach to the competitiveness and economic development 

of the regions based on innovation in the broad sense. This 

is probably why the regions have made the most of the SRI 

approach, as part of an efficient partnership between State 

services and regional councils, and why the reflection has 

largely exceeded the framework of the ERDF operational 

programmes for 2007-2013. 

This in-depth reflection on innovation conditions and usages 

for all territories also pointed out the necessity to take 

into account the specific characteristics of each of these 

territories, their potential, constraints and needs. Innovation 

can be undertaken in all territories once the public innovation 

policies are open to the idea of creativity and innovation. 

With its method and objectives, the SRI approach 

aims at helping stakeholders develop their assets and 

complementarity, improve their collective organisation 

and reinforce their economic development and innovation 

strategies. It relies on a logic of partnerships and synergy, 

both vertical (European Commission, State, Regions) and 

horizontal, with all territorial stakeholders, emphasising the 

fact that partnerships are key factors for efficient territorial 

competitiveness, cohesion and sustainable development 

strategies. 

In this respect, the SRI approach completes the range of 

contractual tools and procedures for spatial planning and 

territorial development associating Europe, the State, local 

authorities and companies (CPER, “pôles de compétitivité” 

or competitiveness and business clusters, etc.), as part of a 

global logic of territorial “excellence”, based on the promotion 

of their “competitive advantages” and the balance between 

these territories. 

16

Now that they are being implemented, these regional 

innovation strategies are an essential tool for the achievement 

of the objectives of the cohesion policy and Lisbon strategy, 

and its successor “Europe 2020”. For the time being, they must 

help increase the pace and quality of the OPs’ “Innovation” 

programming and measures, which already represent, since 

2007, nearly 30% of the ERDF funds programmed and 45% 

to 50% if all actions in favour of research and technological 

development (RTD) and entrepreneurship are included 3 . 

Regional innovation strategies are a living, continuously improving process 

SRIs are evolving documents designed to constantly adapt. 

Certain aspects could be expanded, notably those relating to 

employment and initial and continuing education, all studies 

showing the importance of human capital for innovation; 

partnerships, for the constant involvement of businesses and 

financiers; cooperation between territories (inter-regional 

and cross-border dimension); territorial governance, the 

objective being to enhance the involvement of all “active” 

stakeholders of the regional innovation system (universities, 

PRES, “pôles de compétitivité” and other clusters but also 

social partners). While the ambition is to render the strategic 

approach sustainable and go beyond the SRI scheme, 

appropriate tools must be acquired to monitor and evaluate 

innovation policies with a view to making the right decisions. 

3 

According to the European nomenclature of priority themes eligible for the 2007-2013 programming, innovation is included in the “RTD, innovation and 

entrepreneurship” category. 

17

WEAKNESSES 

STRENGTHS 

CORSICA 

GDP/capita 20% lower than the national average 

Weight of the tertiary sector: tourism (25% of the added value), 

administered services (31%) and construction (10%); weakness 

of the industrial sector (6%), low territorial specialisation; 

weakness of exports (0.2% of the GDP) focused on traditional 

productions 

Fragmented production capacity, essentially micro businesses 

(construction, business services) 

Ageing population of managers and entrepreneurs; low activity 

(65%) and employment rate (57%) for the 15 to 64 age category; 

low-skilled employment and low level of qualified young people 

Limited research staff (150 FTE), essentially public (CNRS/ 

University of Corsica, INRA, CIRAD, ENSAM, IFREMER, BRGM) 

Demand for innovation is low and technological jobs are underrepresented 

RIS Index: 168 th and last EU region; essentially public DERD but 

not available for Corsica only (figure include PACA region); few 

patents (10.8/Mpop): 8 times less than the national average 

Limited network of innovation stakeholders, lacking in critical 

mass (Corsican Fund for Innovation; Corsica’s Territorial 

Incubator, recognised as an “Allègre incubator” by the Ministry 

of research, RDT) 

France’s no. 1 region in terms of GDP growth over the 1997-2007 

period (+3.4% per annum) 

Strong business creation momentum (construction, business 

services) 

Good level of managerial positions and increasing number of 

students 

Good broadband territorial coverage (97%) 

Participation in the PACA-Corsica CAPENERGIES Competitiveness 

Cluster; business cluster logic in the aeronautics sector (Corsica- 

PIAC Aerospace Industries Cluster) 

Research capacity in HSS, Environment and renewable energy, 

natural hazards (fire), Water management and recovery in the 

Mediterranean (GEM), agricultural research and promotion of 

natural resources 

Winner of the Investissements d’Avenir award: SATT PACA-Corsica 

FRANCHE-COMTÉ REGION 

France’s only region, along with Basse-Normandie, to have 

suffered a severe economic decline over the past few years 

Few high-technology services and weakness of public R&D: 

one of the regions with the least resources in relation to the 

population; 77% of the DERD is due to companies employing 

more than 1,000 staff 

Lack of innovation in SMEs: few patents (perceived as a constraint, 

no incentive to register or use patents); insufficient internal 

organisation; limited collaboration with universities 

Aid is fairly well recognised but inadequate; banks and financial 

institutions are fearful; difficult access to venture capital 

Education/Human Resources: difficulties in the recruitment 

of skilled labour; young graduates are moving away from the 

industrial sector and turning to the tertiary sector; shortage of 

technical profiles 

Relationship with Switzerland: competition in terms of labour 

and education 

Industrial tradition: France’s most industrialised region 

Importance of the cross-border phenomenon 

Private R&D is strongly represented (86% of total staff, mostly in 

the plastic processing and automotive sectors) 

Presence of major corporate players (Alstom, PSA, General 

Electric, Solvay) 

Close links between the FEMTO-ST laboratory (University of 

Franche-Comté) and industrial companies 


Strategic sectors: Automotive, Plastic processing, Micromechanics, 

Wood, Agri-food (priority sectors of CPER - State- 

Region project contracts) 

18




KEY PROPOSALS 

Put the human factor at the heart of the innovation dissemination 

and support process 

Create the education-research-transfer and development 

continuum 

Coordinate a network of stakeholders to stimulate and detect 

innovative projects and focus on the external market 

Support, accompany and enhance innovative projects 


Renewable energy sources, energy control 

Aeronautics and materials 

Promotion of natural resources 

ICT 

Tourism 

Implementation of engineer training courses corresponding with 

Corsica’s comparative advantages (geology, marine engineering, 

composite materials) 

Identification of professional practices for the use of innovative 

products or techniques, in conjunction with professionals 

(building federations, CAPEB, etc.) 

Reinforced agreements between the research organisations 

present in Corsica 

Creation of a unit designed to help set up national (ANR), 

European (PCRDT) and international research projects 

Creation of a seed capital fund 

Implementation of a training plan for chambers of commerce 

and industry and business support structures (detection of 

innovation requirements, analysis and matching) 

Ensure that public intervention in terms of innovation focuses 

on managing interfaces between the stakeholders of the system 

rather than working directly with them (develop partnerships; 

interaction networks; knowledge transmission channels) 

Generate business through innovation and entrepreneurship 

Disseminate a culture of innovation projects 

Encourage innovation partnerships and cooperation 

Reinforce the human capital at all stages of the innovation 

process 

Improve the efficiency of the public innovation support system 

Enhance the “borders” effect of the territory 

Creation of an “Innovation Expert”: a guide for the nebulous 

world of innovation, approved by all companies surveyed 

Innovation cheque book 

Work experience aid 

Shared engineer 

Innovation diagnosis 

The SRI aims at ensuring that the innovation culture is shared by 

all companies. 

19

WEAKNESSES 

STRENGTHS 

GUADELOUPE 

Very low GDP/capita; employment rate slowly approaching the 

EU average 

Very high proportion of micro businesses 

Small weight of the tertiary sector; predominance of the public 

sector 

Small share of medium and high-technology sectors; absence of 

major industrial companies capable of driving the economy; few 

business creations in the high-technology domain 

Essentially public R&D; small number of R&D staff: 0.49% of the 

labour force (832 FTE) 

Insufficient number of higher education graduates within 

companies 

The SRI stakeholders are not organised into networks and the 

partnership culture is limited; weak links between research 

players and businesses; private consulting is almost non-existent 

Limited financial resources available (OSEO Innovation is the 

only public structure); risk capital insufficiently focused on 

venture capital and innovation 

Insufficient external openness in terms of business development, 

scientific or technological partnership 

Significant increase in population and employment rate 

Productivity above EU average and slightly lower than other 

French regions (except French Guiana); 

Good investment momentum in the manufacturing domain, with 

a good business creation rate 

Public research potential (INRA, CIRAD) based on world-class 

centres of excellence; universities are open to a Caribbean 

environment 

Winner of the Investissements d’Avenir award: Labex (1) 

FRENCH GUIANA 

Exponential demographics with a very young population (230,000, 

43.3% under 20) requiring additional basic infrastructures 

Existing sectors need structuring (agriculture, fishing, wood craft, 

quarries, mines, tourism, energy) 

Very poor local industrial fabric essentially made up of 

micro businesses, with low innovation capacity: Agriculture; 

Construction; Tourism; Aerospace; Gold (craft in decline); Forestry; 

Fishing (poorly structured) 

Production companies (micro businesses) focused on the local 

market due to transport difficulties, with low innovation capacity 

Often low-skilled labour (37% of baccalauréat holders per 

generation); low business productivity and competitiveness, 

Small number of researchers (outside the PUG); significant 

turnover in research teams; weakness of research infrastructures 

and innovation governance as well as links between public 

research and private companies, absence of private research, etc.) 

Very low technology transfer rate and few innovation projects; 

insufficient promotion and use of research results; the overall 

level of research is higher than in neighbouring countries but the 

lack of economic development renders this research inefficient. 

The demographic explosion will facilitate the emergence of an 

internal market by 2030 

Strategic geographical location: the only French and European 

region in South America and the Amazon region, 

Abundance and variety of natural resources (forest, mines, fishery 

resources) 

Very high-technology companies linked to the Guiana Space 

Centre (CSG) and the presence of subsidiaries of major 

corporations (construction, electricity, freight) 

Environment conducive to aerospace development 

Importance of Guyane Technopole and the University of Guiana 

(PUG) 

Regional environment conducive to innovative collaborations 

(Brazil, Guyana Shield), notably in biotechnologies. 

Winner of the Investissements d’Avenir award: Labex (1) 

20




KEY PROPOSALS 

Organisation and structuring of the network of innovation 

stakeholders 

Human skills development 

Access to information and expertise 

Development of partnerships 

International openness 

Governance: Strategic innovation committee + Operational 

committee 

Constitution of an innovation support network 

Human Resources: recruitment of partnership and collaboration 

coordinators 

Training businesses in the management of innovative projects 

Organisation and professionalisation of the private consulting 

sector 

Innovation advice cheque book 

Support the creation of innovative companies (incubators) 


(CONFIRMATION OF SRDE PRIORITIES) 

Renewable energy 

Risks and materials 

Biodiversity promotion for food and non-food purposes 

ICT 

Tourism 

Improve public aid and advice to businesses 

Develop excellence to enhance the appeal and international 

competitiveness of the territory 

Develop efficient and sustainable territorial governance 

5 strategic priorities: skills upgrade plan; reinforcement of public 

bodies’ support for companies; economic enhancement of bioresources; 

the attraction of ICT; governance 


SECTORS OF EXCELLENCE TO BE DEVELOPED 

Biodiversity (promotion and preservation of the environment, 

innovation based on the use of natural substances) 

Remote technology (remote sensing, telemedicine) 

Creation of a return incentive scheme for the recruitment of 

young graduates from Guiana and to provide employers with a 

young graduates skills file 

Support structures: list, redefine and review the tasks allocated to 

each structure to improve visibility for project initiators 

Establish a strong Intellectual Property policy by defining a policy 

for access to resource so as to create a knowledge fund. 

Develop the networking of skills by using external experts 

working for the major local corporations 

21

WEAKNESSES 

STRENGTHS 

HAUTE-NORMANDIE REGION 

Industrial tradition: essentially production activities, rarely 

associated with R&D/design/marketing functions 

The economic fabric is inadequate and lacking in innovation; 

limited strategic autonomy when dealing with corporations 

Public research poorly structured: HERIs insufficiently federated; 

limited scientific skills 

SMEs’ aversion to innovation (the OSEO intervention rate is 50% 

lower than the average national rate) 

Proximity to the Ile-de-France region and attractiveness of 

Southern regions; competition with other competitiveness 

clusters and emerging countries 

Innovation system: numerous but extremely specialised 

stakeholders, with limited resources, a compartmentalised 

system (CRITT, PFT, CRT); non-specialist partners (industries or 

chambers of commerce) who are not committed to innovation; 

lack of coordination / leadership / resources 

Extensive private research driven by a few large companies 

PRES (Universities of Caen, Rouen and Le Havre, ENSICAEN and 

INSA) 

Mobilisation of public stakeholders (Region, State, OSEO, EU) 

based on six grands réseaux de recherche (GRR, major research 

networks) 

Proximity to the Ile-de-France region (markets, decision-making 

and competence centres) 


Labex (2) 

ÎLE-DE-FRANCE REGION 

Significant geographical disparities within the territories (12% of 

the population live in ZUS - Sensitive Urban Areas) 

Large number of sectors and predominance of the tertiary sector 

(75% of jobs) 

Relative weakness of academic research, with a fragmented 

academic fabric lacking international visibility; declining number 

of scientific publications, accompanied by a loss of private 

research jobs 

R&D insufficiently structured and underdeveloped in SMEs 

Unclear innovation support scheme for companies 

Restricted funding of seed capital and venture capital: 0.05% 

of the GDP compared with 0.3% to 0.5% for London, Oxford 

or Cambridge, 1%-1.5% for San Francisco; limited use of 

intermediaries (fund raisers, transfer centre) 

Low level of start-up creation in relation to the research potential 

DERD level (3.2% of the GDP) in keeping with the “Lisbon” 

European objective 

One of the EU’s top 5 technological and scientific regions 

Europe’s largest and the world’s 2 nd largest centre (behind Tokyo) 

in terms of location of head offices of the world’s 500 largest 

companies 

EU’s 2 nd most attractive region behind Greater London 

Strong presence of integrators on the territory and significant 

support from public authorities for the 6 priority technological 

sectors identified in the ERDF OP and 2007-2013 CPER (Complex 

systems and software, Life sciences, Automotive, Aerospace, 

Creative industries, Eco-industries) 

Winner of the Investissements d’Avenir award for all calls for 

projects: Labex and Equipex (+70), IRT, IDEX, IEED, SATT, UH, etc. 

22




KEY PROPOSALS 

Develop market derived innovation (“ascending”) by encouraging 

the development of research-related innovation (“descending”) 

Priority given to the promotion of non-technological innovation 

and collaborations between laboratories and businesses 

“Demystify” innovation among companies by providing 

assistance adapted to the “psychology” of entrepreneurs 

Help companies through the different stages of innovation 


6 “technological clusters”: 

Vehicles of the future 

Traceability and authentication solutions 

Health and well-being 

Innovative materials and related technologies 

Promotion of local renewable sources of energy 

Optimisation of production processes 

A key domain: 

Energy efficiency, which concerns 4 clusters (vehicles, materials, 

renewable energy, production processes) 

Reinforcement of SEINARI in the leadership and coordination of 

the regional innovation network: 

“Objectives and resources” contract (COM) with each partner 

(positioning, quantitative targets); support of and training in 

project management; compliance control and direct intervention 

Implementation of an observatory to monitor assisted companies 

and initiate actions 

Creation of a “common body” of intervention methods and tools 

Professionalisation of the partners 

Expert project and information management system 

Extended incubation based on SEINARI resources 

Promote “broader innovation” projects in conjunction with HERIs 

Challenges: 

Reinforce the weaknesses of the ecosystem: seed capital and 

second-party funds, progressive support of business creation, 

relationships and exchanges between universities – schools– 

companies (human skills, equipment, working areas) also at an 

international level 

Help the territories in difficulty by taking into account the 

territorial dimension of innovation 

3 priorities: 

Simplify technology transfer and the constraints of innovative 

entrepreneurs in the region 

Turn the Ile-de-France region into a testing ground for innovation 

policies 

Raise the Ile-de-France region’s awareness of major technological, 

environmental and societal issues 

Mapping of the technology transfer in the Ile-de-France region 

Reinforce the funding of seed capital and second-party funds 

Venture capital: contribution to the Regional Council’s 

co-investment fund (€6 million from the ERDF) 

Specific innovation support in “In’Europe” territories (PUI) 

Launch of calls for projects for experimentations on targeted 

territories and to identify common innovative projects between 

dynamic territories and territories experiencing difficulties 


confirmation of the support of the CEPR’s 6 priority technological 

sectors and desire to identify priority cross-sectional innovation 

themes to be supported, focusing on the social aspects 

of sustainable development (sustainable hospital, 

eco-districts, ageing) 

23

WEAKNESSES 

STRENGTHS 

LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON REGION 

A region characterised by sharp contrasts 

One of France’s poorest regions (GDP/capita), with a very high 

unemployment rate 

Weak industrial sector and companies lacking in innovation, with 

a very high number of micro businesses (30% higher than the 

national average) and a high 5-year bankruptcy rate 

Weakness of private R&D 

Few exchanges between the academic milieu and regional 

companies 

The SME innovation support system focuses too much on 

technology, lacks visibility and fails to reach the traditional 

sectors of the regional economy (trade, services, wine growing, 

tourism, etc.); multiple unconnected sector-wide networks; 

absence of governance 

5 competitiveness clusters insufficiently involved in regional 

development 

Fragmented territory: no shared strategies or practices (one 

metropolitan area - Montpellier-Nîmes - hosting knowledge 

economy entities, in addition to satellite territories: Perpignan, 

Alès, Mende) 

Stakeholders insufficiently open to the outside. 

Very attractive region (quality of life) 

One of the highest job creation rates 

Very high business creation rate 

The average added value per company is higher than the national 

average 

Core of innovative SMEs in the ICT and services or health sectors 

Significant public research (200 laboratories and 5,500 

researchers) 

Winner of the Investissements d’Avenir award: Labex and Equipex 

(11), SATT 

Innovation system: excellent support scheme for the creation 

of innovative companies (Transferts LR, Synersud, Languedoc 

Roussillon Incubation, etc.) 

LIMOUSIN REGION 

Sparsely populated region (21 st position in France and 241 st in the 

EU with a population of 733,000) 

GDP/capita and economic growth lower than the EU regions 

average 

Low salaries and importance of transfer income: pensions (31%), 

social benefits (24%), tourist expenditure (13%) and public 

wages (13%) 

Limited weight of the production of goods and services (18%); 

activities strongly focused on traditional and competitive sectors 

DERD: 0.88% of the GDP, 67% from the private sector 

Weakness in research on the French scale (21 st position): 0.5% 

of national staff in private research and 0.4% in public research; 

limited appeal of HER with the exception of the University of 

Limoges 

Few patents with the exception of electronics 

Innovation system: low level of transfer due to restricted demand, 

focused on technology; the needs of traditional sectors are only 

partly covered (wood, mechanics, AFI) 

Funding: private funding on the decline; 18 th position in France for 

CIR (less than 1% of French companies declare R&D expenditure); 

public funds essentially concentrated on two sectors (electronics, 

photonics, micro-waves and ceramic materials) and on 

collaborative research 

Low cost of living and importance of transfer income: shock 

absorber in 2 ways (recession and growth) 

Continuous increase in the number of research staff 

Recognised competence in targeted domains: ceramic materials 

(French public research centre) 

Research capacity in the domain of telecommunications, microwaves, 

optronics (XLIM). 

Support system: fairly good network of research-business 

interface structures 

Funding: leverage effect of public funds for ceramic and electronic 

sectors. The share of public funding is on the increase (OSEO, FUI, 

ANR) 

Winner of the Investissements d’Avenir award: Labex (1), IRT M2P 

24




KEY PROPOSALS 

Challenges: 

Stimulate the growth of micro businesses through innovation 

Build closer links between Higher education, public research and 

the regional economy 

Make the region part of the world innovation networks 

3 challenges resulting in 4 strategic priorities: 

Innovation for all 

Focus on “grey matter” 

“Thematic convergence”: position Languedoc-Roussillon as the 

flagship region in terms of 

convergence between certain sectors (ICT with Health, 

Environment, Agronomy and Tourism; Wine growing with Tourism 

International connections 


“THEMATIC CONVERGENCE”: 

ICT with Health, Environment, Agronomy, Tourism 

Wine growing with Tourism 

Continuation of the actions which “are the strength of the 

Languedoc-Roussillon region”: support the creation of innovative 

companies, technological innovation (Regional Innovation Fund, 

network of Synersud incubators, competitiveness clusters, 

Transferts LR, etc.) 

Mobilisation of the JEREMIE fund to reinforce the equity of 

recently created and developing companies 

Creation of a Regional Innovation Network involving 58 

innovation support structures with a view to improving the 

detection and support of innovation for any company, anywhere 

on the territory, for any type of innovation, 

Support of new forms of innovative business networks (e.g.: 

LEADER, network of intensely developing companies) 

Creation of an ICT and Health “Collaboratory” 

Launch of call for projects to encourage new ICT usages in 

traditional economic sectors 

Creation of a pilot public research enhancement scheme (sharing 

and reinforcement of resources to accelerate technology 

transfer), with an international focus and sharing of resources 

Development of a world-class “innovation marketing and 

commercialisation” hub 

Concentrate public funds on two sectors (electronics and 

ceramics) and partnership-based research 

Improve the impact of the innovation policy of the 2 

competitiveness clusters on the regional economy 

Respond to the innovation needs of other traditional sectors and 

innovative service sectors which are poorly or not at all covered 

(Wood, Personal services, mechanics, AFI, Business services) 

Establish the conditions for the implementation of technical 

solutions with an industrial impact and related services to help 

dependent individuals regain their autonomy 

Combine 2 approaches: 

> Innovation through technology consolidate the value 

chain in sectors covered by the Elposys and Ceramics 

competitiveness clusters 

> Innovation through usage: take the social demand into 

account (usage/customers) throughout the innovation 

process to reach micro to medium-sized businesses actively 

involved on traditional markets 

> Structure governance 

“Objectives contracts” with research organisations 

Put in place an organisation to design, test and sell innovations in 

traditional sectors, in response to societal problems (environment, 

ageing, risk management, health) 

Innovation marketing 

Consolidate the value chain for 3 critical points from research 

to commercialisation: Reinforcement of S&T resources; Research 

enhancement (detection, transfer); Growth of innovative 

companies via funding after the seed capital phase, and access 

to services 

Develop innovation based on usage, in particular via Living’labs, 

which includes Autonom’lab, involved in the dependence/ 

autonomy project 


Electronics, Ceramics, Health 

+ other sectors: Wood, Personal services, Mechanics, 

Agri-food, Business services 

25

The spirit of Regional innovation strategies is to find the best possible combination of the specific 

characteristics of the territory and its strategy. From this perspective, Regional innovation 

strategies now ensure that French regions are one step ahead so that they can progressively 

commit, as recommended by the European Commission for the future, to a strategy of “smart 

specialisation” in key sectors or themes where the territory has a proven comparative advantage. 

While regional innovation strategies have shown that regions 

should promote their assets and focus on their true strengths, 

they have also pointed out that the regions’ capacity to 

innovate and competitiveness depend on a variety of factors 

and that any narrow-minded vision of specialisation should 

be excluded. 

Regional innovation strategies currently provide the willing 

regions with the means to further commit to a territorial 

specialisation process, as part of a regional differentiation 

approach based on the detection and promotion of sectors, 

promising fields or niches of excellence where the region has 

a proven comparative advantage. This is what lies behind the 

notion of “smart specialisation strategy” promoted by the 

European Commission for the future. 

However, a specialisation cannot be mechanically imposed 

from the top down; it must be pertinent in relation to a given 

territory. The diversity of French territories and their assets 

calls for different responses, as specialising means first and 

foremost trying to improve territorial strengths and assets, 

without obliterating diversity and initiative which will result 

in future strengths and respond to people’s needs. 

26

WEAKNESSES 

STRENGTHS 

LORRAINE REGION 

Ageing population 

High unemployment rate (10%), notably in young people, and 

deterioration higher than the national average 

Industry in the process of restructuring: 17% of the added value 

(7th position in France) in the metallurgy, automotive, textile, 

chemicals, wood and paper sectors 

Limited weight of private R&D (less than 1,400 researchers) 

due to the structure of the industrial fabric specialising in lowtechnology 

sectors 

Poor promotion of public research 

Businesses find it difficult to access research results (75% 

of Lorraine companies claim they do not know how to access 

research results and funding) 

Innovation system: fragmented network of technological 

intermediaries (CDT, CRT, CTI, etc.), with numerous but poorly 

coordinated technology transfer stakeholders, with limited 

visibility and complementarity. 

Strategic positioning on major lines of communication 

Importance of the cross-border phenomenon 

DERD: 1.09% of the GDP (14 th position in FR) 

Companies have the capacity to innovate (10 th position in France 

for ANR support in 2007) 

High-level scientific production with many recognised units in 

“hard” sciences (ranked 4 th in France for Engineering Sciences, 

Chemistry, Physics, Information and Communication Science and 

Technology, Earth Sciences and Mathematics) 

Ongoing creation of a common development unit at the PRES of 

the University of Lorraine 


Labex (2) 

MARTINIQUE 

Insular constraints: highly dependent on the outside, excess 

supply and transport costs, restricted internal market and closed 

economy 

Low employment rate compared with the mainland (39%) and 

high unemployment (in particular in young people), net migration 

loss and ageing population 

Impact of the crisis: deterioration of the labour market and 

decrease in investment 

Predominance of the service sector (79% of jobs / 72% of the 

added value); new and underdeveloped industrial sector (7% 

of jobs / 8% of the added value), mostly focused on agri-food 

(predominance of sugar cane) 

Significant weight of micro businesses (2/3); SMEs are reluctant 

to innovate as they are often subsidiaries of companies with R&D 

centres on the mainland 

Low level of qualified labour force (25% with a baccalauréat or 

higher qualification, compared with 36.5% on the mainland); 

labour market has little demand for qualifications; low 

management-to-staff ratio 

Low DERD (0.28%), mostly based on public investment; private 

investment almost non existent (CIS survey not conducted for 

overseas départements; 

Few patents (3.8 patents/Mpop compared with 90 in the EU and 

133 in France) 

Absence of academic courses in S&T domains and low return rate 

of Martinique students educated outside Martinique 

Limited research staff (230 FTE or 0.13% of the labour force), 

lower than the EU average (0.97%); no participation in large-scale 

research projects 

Mostly public research, few transfer and development structures, 

weak private research and insufficient public-private cooperation 

Increasing level of qualification despite a global deficit, and 

increasing number of students 

Innovation potential in domains of excellence: biodiversity, agrienvironment 

and agro-processing, HSS, health, natural hazards 

and fishery and aquaculture resources 

Development of joint ventures in the services domain (ICT, 

fishing, environment) 

Strength of the agronomy and agri-food sectors with good 

interaction between stakeholders in these domains thanks to 

the continuum of structures upstream and downstream of the 

innovation process 

Presence of numerous public research institutions: EPST (INRA, 

CEMAGREF, IRD), EPIC (BRGM, CIRAD, IFREMER), EPA (Météo 

France), UAG, CHUI, other (ONF, PNRM, ORS, etc.) 

Research is based on 5 thematic centres (Agronomy and 

environment, HSS, Hazards and sustainable development, Health, 

Fishery) but does not apply the sharing approaches developed in 

metropolitan regions (PRES, RTRA, CTRS, Carnot Institute) 

9 sector-wide technologies with innovation potential (agricultural 

technologies, AA processing, environmental technologies, 

wood processing, Seismic buildings, Mechanical engineering / 

repair, Chemicals and plastic processing, Medical technologies, 

Management of natural hazards) 

28




KEY PROPOSALS 

Two major levers: Collaboration and Structuring. 

Reinforce the partnership dynamic by encouraging collaborative 

projects between companies and research centres. 

Increase the number of innovative companies (SRI detection+ 

structuring) 


“FUTURE-ORIENTED SECTORS” 

Preservation and use of bio-renewable resources 

Circular economy (recycling) 

Functional materials 

Health technologies 

Computer science and technology 

Structuring of a transfer and development unit within the future 

University of Lorraine, acting as an interface with companies 

(project maturation, support, etc.) 

Develop the global engineering of complex collaborative projects 

Creation of industrial experimentation and joint design areas: 

innovation platforms (funding of initial investments: material 

and immaterial resources) 

Creation of an innovation observatory for monitoring and 

evaluation purposes 

3 priorities: 

Develop innovative clusters (Agri-food, Health – virology) 

Put in place an innovation toolkit 

Support and promote a pragmatic approach to innovation 


Biodiversity, Agro-environment and Agro-processing 

HSS 

Health 

Natural hazards 

Fishery and aquaculture resources 

Encourage joint ventures as part of a cluster logic 

Develop the range of development and transfer support services 

Networking of support stakeholders 

Mapping of regional skills and expertise 

Creation of a business innovation observatory 

Professionalisation of support structures 

29

WEAKNESSES 

STRENGTHS 

MIDI-PYRÉNÉES REGION 

Public and private research potential underused by SMEs and 

undervalued 

The network of technological partnerships mostly involves major 

groups from high-technology sectors. 

SMEs largely unaware of innovation management and innovative 

project management. 

Limited participation of regional companies in European projects. 

Attractive image which however fails to convince foreign students 

and researchers due to the lack of adapted reception facilities 

Insufficiently legible innovation system 

Lack of seed capital 

Growth rate higher than the national average, 16,000 companies, 

which includes major international corporations, employ more 

than 10 staff 

High DERD: 4% of the regional GDP 

Significant weight of private research: 2/3 of R&D staff 

Excellent initial education as well as higher education and 

research 

Dynamic research driven by large public laboratories and groups 

in technology-intensive areas of activity (aerospace, agri-food, 

health) 

Structuring of initiatives involving the State and the Region 

(Aerospace Valley, Cancer-Bio-Santé, Agrimip Innovation) 

Support scheme covering all innovation stages 

Extensive funding offer 

Region integrated into European RDI networks 

Structuring and unifying of projects across the territory 

(Aerospace Campus, Cancéropôle, NanoInnov, Agrobiopôle, 

Castres-Mazamet and Tarbes technopoles, Mecanic Vallée and 

Nogaro Mécanopole, etc.) 


(7), IRT AESE, SATT Midi-Pyrénées 

NORD-PAS-DE-CALAIS REGION 

Difficult legacy and image problem 

The industrial fabric lacks dynamism and has yet to switch from 

the status of production workshop to product design centre 

Unemployment rate 3 pts higher than the France average 

DERD: 0.7% of the GDP (ranked 14 th in France) 

Significant lack of innovation in SMEs, limited number of projects 

and innovative companies 

5-year SME bankruptcy rate 50% higher than the national 

average 

The region attracts foreign investment, in particular in lowtechnology 

activities (production, assembling, logistics) 

Large number of public research staff (ranked 12 th in France) but 

efficiency is an issue (2% of the national total of R&D projects; 

lack of EPST/EPIC; private R&D almost non existent 

Significant training offer but the territory fails to take advantage 

of skills 

The existing transfer system does not enhance public R&D 

Innovation system lacks efficiency and coordination 

Difficulties in financing major innovative projects 

Large number of public researchers and higher education students 

(150,000) 

Strategic geographical location in Europe 

Business creation rate higher than the national average 

Innovation systems: there are support, transfer and development 

structures (70 entities) which cover the entire spectrum 

(awareness, emergence, support of initiators and financing 


(6), IRT, Railenium, SATT Lille Nord of France Valo 

30




KEY PROPOSALS 

5-year strategy: 

Recover from the crisis 

Reinforce innovation support 

Increase openness to Europe and the world 

Reinforce territorial cohesion and SME development aid 


7 priority sectors identified in the diagnosis 

Materials, aerostructures and mechanics 

Space industry 

Airborne systems 

Bio-health 

Agri-food industries 

Information and communication technologies 

Eco-industries (Water, energy, environment) 

Implementation of stable SRI governance jointly steered by the 

State and the Region 

Structuring of the innovation system: creation of a secretarygeneral 

position responsible for coordinating innovation in 

the region; RDT reinforcement; support of structuring projects 

(competitiveness clusters, Oncopôle, TWB, etc.); development of 

local initiative Platforms in terms of innovation 

Involvement of industrialists and businesses (SMEs) in the 

implementation of SRI actions via “mission statements” 

Implementation of aid systems for the strategic development 

and integration of skills into innovative SMEs 

Business funding during pre-creation phases, with the deployment 

of a new Seed capital fund to complete the financing cycle. 

Unification of the development function of the different 

laboratories within the PRES 

6 areas of action to consolidate strategic priorities: 

Support the creation of innovative companies 

Radically change the practices of regional SMEs by relying on 

strategic analysis and human capital 

Attract technology-intensive 

investments 

Innovate via and for services 

Improve the financing of innovation 

Reinforce the public and private research potential as well as 

promotion and transfer practices 

Implementation of a financing tool for non-technological 

innovation: the Equity Loan for the development of Innovation 

Nouvelles Vagues platform for the promotion of aquatic and 

aquaculture products and by-products 

Launch of the Objectif PME (Objective SME) programme for the 

development of 2,000 regional SMEs over 3 years 

Development of a national and international economic 

communication strategy to attract investment (promotion and 

prospecting tools) 


domains in which the region wants to become the leader 

Rail transport (including intermodal, logistical aspects 

and smart transport systems) 

Commerce of the future (including logistical 

and technological aspects) 

Health – Nutrition – Food (including aquaculture products, 

food safety and security) 

+ 4 strategic domains: Automotive; Advanced materials 

(biosourced, textile, composite materials); Building and ecoconstruction; 

Mechanics 

“New sectors”: Energy and power electronics; Treatment of 

waste - sediment - contaminated sites and soil; Images and digital 

creation; E-Health 

31

WEAKNESSES 

STRENGTHS 

PAYS-DE-LA-LOIRE REGION 

Weak in research in light of the region’s economic weight 

Numerous SMEs (97% of the region’s entrepreneurial fabric in 

2006) with low R&D investment capacity 

Weakness of private R&D 

Impact of the crisis on key sectors (automotive, electronics, 

wood) 

Innovation system: complementarity between stakeholders must 

be improved within a dense system; development structures are 

fragmented and focused on the management of contracts rather 

than the promotion of the scientific offer and detection; absence 

of technical platforms in certain domains (AFI, IT, biotherapies, 

etc.); undersized private consulting offer, not structured and with 

a lack of focus on innovation; failure to implement the postincubation 

function in all technopoles 

Funding: the flow of projects is greater than the investment 

capacity in the region; lack of seed capital and venture capital; 

upstream and post-incubation phases are poorly covered 

GDP: Ranked 5th in France (2007) with a strong increase over the 

2000-2007 period (industry, services) 

High employment rate in 2006 

High number of graduates working in S&T (ranked 8 th in France) 

Large number (300) of companies involved in a competitiveness 

cluster 

Portfolio of innovative SMEs representing 31% of the private R&D 

expenditure and 35% of researchers in companies 

The Automotive and Mechanics/materials sectors are well 

structured while other sectors are in the process of structuring 

(Biotherapies, Ecotechnologies, IT); traditional sectors must 

accelerate their innovation dynamics (AFI, housing / construction, 

vegetation, fashion); other sectors are heterogeneous with regard 

to the markets covered and must seize transversal opportunities 

(electronics, wood, children market) 

Recent increase in research staff (+ 13% over the 2002-2006 

period) 

Good level of HER in number of students (6 th position in France); 

development of partnerships (universities of Nantes, Angers, Le 

Mans and Ecole Centrale de Nantes); cutting-edge courses relating 

to local sectors (Masters in automotive design, Polymer materials 

engineers, University diploma in molecular genetics). 

Business support systems of excellence (DINAMIC Entreprises: 

guiding companies through the basics: internal efficiency, 

innovation and development, commercialisation). 

Well developed public support system (19 structures + 600 ETPs); 

good network of innovation support systems (RDT, CRT, technical 

centres, platforms, competitiveness clusters, Incubator) 

Winner of the Investissements d’Avenir award: Equipex (2), IRT Jules 

Verne, IEED 

PICARDIE REGION 

Poorly qualified population: 16% of baccalauréat +2 years of higher 

education compared with 22% for the national average 

Picardie remains behind for most eduction-related indicators (access 

to baccalauréat, students leaving without a diploma, etc.) 

Business bankruptcy rate (25.5%) twice as high as the France average, 

with a sharp increase in 2008 

Weakness in public research in relation to the region’s economic 

weight: Ranked 26 th in France for DERD/capita 

Research system separate from the principal national schemes; 

insufficient links between public research and businesses 

Poor innovation and entrepreneurship culture 

Few breakthrough innovations: 12% of the projects are financed by 

OSEO (national average: 21% in 2005) 

Overall inefficiency of the innovation support system: few companies 

visited (700 in 2005 compared with a national average of 900, for 

an equivalent number of FTEs); few PTRs prescribed (25 in 2005 

compared with a national average of 68); limited project feedback 

Difficulties in promoting laboratory projects: insufficient detection, 

limited assistance in technological maturation and marketing, weak 

links with the regional sectors/hubs/SPL; incubator: Ranked 23 rd 

in France in terms of jobs created (2.4 compared with a national 

average of 4.8) 

Lack of coordination and steering of the innovation system: 

insufficient governance and structures operated as “silos” 

Strengths in terms of public R&D with young teams of 

recognised academics (biomechanics, biomedical engineering, 

process engineering, automation and IT, materials and acoustic 

mechanics, solid-state and sugar chemistry, etc.) 

Nationwide technical centres and EPICs (INERIS, CVG, INRA) 

Innovative economic sectors relying on significant private R&D: 

77 % of regional staff (1,700 out of 2,500 FTE) 

Innovation networks based on inter-regional competitiveness 

clusters (IAR and I-Trans) and hubs 

Increase in funds dedicated to innovation (ERDF, OSEO) 


(4), IEED PIVERT 

32




KEY PROPOSALS 

The priority is to support businesses, considered within their own 

environment, to help them control their innovation processes 

while encouraging collaborative innovation. This results in 6 

objectives: 

Increase the innovation capacity of SMEs 

Reinforce the competitiveness of regional sectors through 

innovation 

Reinforce regional research and mobilise it for innovation 

purposes 

Develop a high level of competence within companies 

Create an environment conducive to innovation within companies 

Optimise the governance of the regional innovation system 


Mechanics/materials 

Biotherapies 

Ecotechnologies / energy 

IT 

Electronics 

Automotive 

Agri-food 

Housing / construction 

Plants 

Fashion 

Wood 

Children oriented market 

Reinforcement of the DINAMIC tool with the creation of new 

modules (“revival”, “collaboration/extended enterprise”) and a 

better focus on design, marketing, Human Resources, etc. 

Creation of new regional innovation platforms for collaborative 

projects across the territory and for all SMEs 

Mobilisation of RDT in 3 directions: concerted prospecting 

strategy (roadmaps for each sector, use of private players); more 

professional interventions (CRCI training plan, common reference 

systems); operational coordination of the actions 

Share certain development functions 

Extend the post-incubation function to all incubators 

Development of “upstream” funding tools (seed capital) 

Help structure the private consulting offer, notably for nontechnological 

skills 

Governance: strategic/operational + 5-year monitoring chart 

Focus on a few sectors to raise the region’s profile using 

selection criteria (weight in terms of jobs; convergence with the 

region’s political priorities; sectors for which innovation is a key 

competitiveness factor; differentiation factor) 

Stimulate innovation in emerging sectors 

Identify more projects as part of a more coordinated regional 

scheme 

Reinforced governance with the creation of the ARI 


Mechanics, materials and fibres 

Agro-resources and green chemistry 

Transport, intermodality and advanced logistics 

Sustainable buildings 

Autonomy of individuals and health 

Risk control and the environment 

RDT revival: implementation of objective-based agreements 

(COM) specifying the mutual obligations of fund raisers and 

financiers; training of fund raisers; integration of technical lycées 

within the RDT 

Steering of the innovation system: monthly consolidation of 

prospecting plans and summary of needs (charts implemented 

by the ARI) 

Implementation of a shared R&D project maturation system to 

increase the volume of worthwhile projects generated by public 

laboratories, with the creation of a maturation support scheme 

Implementation of a Robotic Technology Transfer Centre based on 

the networking of stakeholders (Universities, Schools, Technical 

centres, etc.), for the benefit of automotive, aeronautical and rail 

industries 

Reinforce the presence of the Picardie region in European projects 

(“Innovation Europe” action) 

33

WEAKNESSES 

STRENGTHS 

POITOU-CHARENTES REGION 

Population: 1.72 million (ranked 15 th in France) 

GDP/capita: €23,881 compared with a national average of 

€28,721 

Micro to medium-sized businesses (93%) lacking in innovation 

Deficient in key innovation functions for SMEs: mostly 

subcontracting SMEs, not very proactive and with limited 

awareness in terms of innovation; innovation essentially coming 

from suppliers or clients; limited cooperation with public research 

centres 

Regional sectors insufficiently coordinated: transport (nautical 

tourism, rail, aerospace, automotive); agri-food; wood; imaging; 

eco-industry 

Limited potential of high-level jobs, with a 10% management-tostaff 

ratio against a national average of 19% 

The academic offer is of little benefit to the regional economy; 

poor level of qualification: baccalauréat +2 years of higher 

education (ranked 20th in France); brain drain: most graduates 

work outside the region (80% of postgraduate students leave the 

region within 3 years of obtaining their degree) 

Weak DERD: 0.83% of the GDP (2006), ranked 18 th in France 

(national average: 2.1%) and 141 th in the EU; patents: ranked 16 th 

in France (2007): 60% of companies have no intellectual property 

protection policy; public R&D: ranked 14 th in France 

Innovation system: little known and underused support systems, 

with segmented structures; opaque and fragmented support 

system insufficiently used by companies; aid offers little incentive; 

numerous technology transfer structures but insufficiently 

focused on the regional economic fabric 

Business creation rate higher than the France average 

High potential in engineering sciences 

Quality university courses backed by diverse research potential 

(Engineering sciences, water, soil and coastal areas, chemistry 

and biochemistry, HSS, etc.) 


PACA (PROVENCE-ALPES-CÔTE D’AZUR) REGION 

An economic network of micro to medium-sized businesses with 

insufficient growth 

Limited weight of the industrial sector while services represent 

80% of the jobs and added value 

Absence of specialisation, hence limited international visibility 

Well positioned research system (ranked 6th in France in terms 

of DERD; 75 th in the RIS ranking but development is insufficient 

Education: poor graduation rate; marked specialisation in HSS; 

lack of coordination between educational offer and business 

requirements; lack of investment in continuing education 

The innovation support and assistance system is being structured 

but remains unclear and difficult to access for companies; the 

range of services is inadequate, with a strong focus on technology 

and little consideration of non-technological aspects (funding, HR, 

access to market, IPL); extensive private offer (1,350 consultancy 

firms), albeit poorly structured and lacking in professionalism; 

lack of coordination between stakeholders 

€150,000 and over €500,000); rare for 

usage and service related innovations; complicated procedures 

Attractiveness of the region and regional integration into the 

Mediterranean Basin 

Versatile profile (absence of specialisation) with transversal 

competences making it possible to withstand exogenous shocks 

Presence of major structuring projects (ITER) 

Networking of competitiveness clusters (9) and PRIDES (29) 

in domains beyond technological innovation (export, use of 

ICT, Human Resources, corporate social and environmental 

responsibility) 


(10), IEED, SATT PACA-Corsica, POLMIT UH 

34




KEY PROPOSALS 

Consolidate the network of innovation stakeholders, aiming for 

the regional coordination of the members of the innovation 

chain, complementary interventions with companies and a “onestop 

shop” 

Acquire strategic tools encouraging innovation in all its forms: 

progressive innovation or “service packages” 

5 thematic aspects: business innovation support (skills, 

management, strategy); innovation culture; inter-company 

collaboration – transfer structures and research centres; 

development of the human capital; information control 

Governance: strategic (CRUSE) and operational (CoPI) 


Mechanics and materials 

Transport 

Chemistry 

Eco-industries, wood and agri-food 

Imaging 

Innovation “Service package” for companies: global assistance 

programme from upstream phases to operation 

“One-stop shop” 

Creation of a Regional Innovation Network (steered by the DRRT 

+ Regional Council) and contracts with support stakeholders 

(Objectives and Resources Contract) 

Training of innovative companies (commercialisation, marketing, 

etc.) 

Implementation of a regional market of dormant patents to be 

made available to SMEs 

Training of a group of regional focal points in the European 

Commission with a view to influencing European policies with an 

effect on innovation from the earliest possible stage 

Assistance in the recruitment of a deputy managing director to 

promote innovation approaches in SMEs employing less than 

25 staff 

Reinforce innovation based on PRIDES and competitiveness 

clusters 

Assist businesses in their innovation approach, taking into 

account new innovation trends (shifting R&D focus towards the 

user) 

Promote societal and territorial innovation 

Mobilise public and private stakeholders vis-à-vis shared priorities 

as governance is a key issue 


Affirmation of 2 themes: 

“Creative Economy” 

“Sustainable Mediterranean” 

Broken down into 5 Strategic Areas of Activity (DAS) 

Health 

Digital content industry 

Safety security risk 

Sustainable housing 

Smart mobility 

Definition of targeted market segments within the Strategic 

Areas of Activity (DAS) as part of a “smart specialisation strategy” 

logic recommended by the European Commission for the 2014- 

2020 period 

Structuring of a regional coordination network (RRI) to render 

the offer of the networked regional operators more professional 

Creation of “Creativity workshops” (multi-disciplinary creativity 

think-tanks) 

Promotion of the Regional Institute for environmental awareness 

Tourist innovation: creation of a centre of excellence on tourism 

(R&D, training, forward planning) 

Creation of an ORION database to monitor the regional strategy, 

Coordination of a regional PACA Innovation site to unify SRI 

stakeholders and programmes, forming a focal point for Invest in 

PACA sites (attractiveness-promotion), Intelligence–économique- 

PACA, and CCINET for the international stage 

35

WEAKNESSES 

STRENGTHS 

REUNION ISLAND 

Young population (35% under 20) but the over 60 category is 

steadily increasing 

GDP/capita 30% lower than the national average since 1998 

Predominance of services (81%), Agriculture (2%), Industry and 

Construction (17%) 

Low employment rate (43% compared with 63% France average) 

Vast network of micro businesses (85% including 66% of selfemployed 

professionals with no employees) with poor innovation 

culture 

Weakness of the education system (only 19% of the population 

has a higher education qualification) and continuing education 

(3%) 

Essentially public R&D (1,400 FTE, 3 times less than the national 

average) and almost non existent private R&D (mostly micro 

businesses) 

Complex and unclear innovation system; significant needs in 

terms of support and monitoring of innovative projects; numerous 

structures (CRIIT, CRT, ARVAM, etc.), insufficiently structured and 

lacking in professionalism 

Funding: lack of transparency; difficulties during start-up / 

feasibility phase as well as pre-launch phase 

Public and private research staff: 1,400 FTE (Post office and 

telecom, IT, R&D: 289) 

Presence of public research organisations: CIRAD, IRD, IFREMER, 

BRGM branch, CRVOI (emerging diseases) 

Significant results compared with other overseas départements 

(innovation output index: 0.32; registered patents: 10/year; 

registered designs: 57/year; registered trademarks: 214/year) 

Winner of the Investissements d’Avenir award: IEED 

RHÔNE-ALPES REGION 

Traditional industrial sectors confronted with the competition of 

low-cost countries (automotive, plastic processing) 

High innovation potential but limited dynamism compared with 

the most successful European regions 

Research centres produce little innovation 

Lack of coordination between support systems and innovation 

stakeholders spread across the different urban areas; limited 

synergy between research laboratories, Universities, companies 

and territorial development stakeholders 

Network of SMEs reluctant to commit to an innovation approach 

Few success stories, with not many companies experiencing 

significant development (the majority of them employ around 

10 staff) 

Funding: structured, high-density network but project support 

between the prototyping phase and the commercial launch is 

insufficient (public support does not last long enough and there 

are not enough private investors during the pre-launch phase). 

3 rd most innovative European region (RIS 2006) and ranked 7 th in 

the EU for S&T potential 

2 nd French region for DERD (2.59%), publications, with identified 

strengths (chemistry, physics, engineering sciences) and R&D 

staff (11.5% of the national total) 

Industrial power based on traditional sectors with world leaders 

Significant urban network linking 8 urban areas and powerful 

academic sector with major research laboratories (CNRS, CEA, 

etc.), 

Dense ecosystem made up of more than one hundred structures 

(ARDI, Universities, platforms, technical and research centres, 

PRES, 3 RTRAs, 3 RTRSs, 10 groups of Carnot certified laboratories, 

GRAVIT and LST development structures) 

Strong presence of major world-renowned research and skills 

centres 

Extremely developed network culture between businesses and 

research centres: 14 competitiveness clusters, 3 of which are 

international (Minalogic – nano technologies and embedded 

software, Lyon Biopôle – health protection, Axelera – chemistry 

and environment) and 8 Rhône-Alpes Clusters 


(28), IRT (2), IEED 

36




KEY PROPOSALS 

Raise the level of qualification and fight against illiteracy 

Network the structures and tools 

Give companies the means to innovate 

Assist projects upstream and downstream 

Integrated approach to spatial planning 

Raise the profile of the Reunion Island in terms of innovation, as 

part of a coherent and sustainable process 

Business innovation support (“expert advice”) 

Launch of creativity competitions to stimulate innovation and 

entrepreneurship 

Development of the “training engineering” sector 

Improve the professionalism of network support and coordination 

stakeholders 

Implementation of seed aid 


definition of DAS (“Strategic Areas of Activity”) and sectors likely 

to drive future development 

Agro nutrition in a tropical milieu 

Fishing 

Health 

ICT (Information and comm funication technologies) 

Energy - Environment 

Sustainable Tourism 

Training engineering 

Personal services 

2 essential sectors for territorial cohesion and to drive 

development for DASs, with innovation potential: 

Agriculture 

Construction 

Improve the synergy between innovation from research and 

innovation from the market and businesses 

Offer appropriate funding to cross development thresholds 

Extend the concept of innovation to encompass “soft” innovations 

(organisational, marketing, creativity and design, managerial and 

social) 

Increase the visibility of joint ventures (structuring projects, 

multi-disciplinary technological platforms, etc.) to encourage 

transversal activity and cross- fertilisation 

Mobilise public authorities (public contracts, regulations, 

demonstration) to boost innovative approaches and projects 


5 major scientific fields with the ambition to turn the region into 

a testing ground for green growth and ecotechnologies: 

Micro and nano technologies 

Life sciences and biotechnologies 

Green chemistry and the environment 

Engineering and renewable energy 

Humanities and social sciences 

Develop structures to support patent registrations and business 

creations 

Mobilise the ARDI, competitiveness and business clusters 

to improve the identification of business needs, notably via 

a network of “development through innovation” advisors 

coordinated by ARDI Synergie Réseaux 

Ensure that the knowledge supply matches the demand through 

convergence of research themes and business needs, giving 

priority to regional companies 

Development of collective actions combining the research sector 

and businesses based on the SATT 

To cover all stages, undertake actions designed to raise researchers’ 

awareness of entrepreneurship, innovative project initiators’ 

awareness of financial culture, and financiers’ awareness of the 

innovation cycle, in particular for seed capital 

Structure the selection of projects 

37

AFI: Agri-food industry 

ARI: Agence régionale d’innovation (Regional innovation agency) 

Glossary 

CIR: Crédit impôt recherche (Research Tax Credit) 

CIS: Community Innovation Survey 

CRT: Centre de Ressources Technologiques 

(Technological Resources Centre) 

DERD: Domestic Expenditure on Research & Development 

(Dépense intérieure pour la recherche & développement - DIRD) 

EPIC: Public industrial and commercial institution 

EPST: Public scientific and technological institution 

EQUIPEX: Equipment of excellence 

HERI: Higher education and research institution 

IEED: Instituts d’excellence dans le domaine des énergies décarbonées 

(Institutes of excellence in the domain of carbon-free energy) 

IDEX: Initiative of excellence 

IPL: Intellectual property law 

IRT: Institut de recherche technologique 

(Technological Research Institute) 

JEREMIE: Joint European Resources for Micro to Medium Enterprises 

KIS: Knowledge-intensive services 

LABEX: Laboratory of excellence 

PFT: Plateforme technologique (Technological Platform) 

PTR: Prestation Technologique Réseau (Technological Network Services) 

PRES: Pôle de recherche et d’enseignement supérieur 

(Centre of Research and Higher Education) 

RDT: Réseau de Développement Technologique 

(Technological Development Network) 

RIS: Regional Innovation Scoreboard 

RTRA: Réseau thématique de recherche avancée 

(Thematic Advanced Research Network) 

RTRS: Réseau thématique de recherche et de soins 

(Thematic Healthcare Research Network) 

SATT: Société d’Accélération du Transfert de Technologies 

(Technology Transfer Acceleration Company) 

UH: University Hospitals 

38

notes 

39

This synthesis has been conducted by the Interministerial 

Delegation for Territorial Development and Regional 

Attractiveness acting in concert with the regions and supported 

technically by the Services and Payment Agency. 

KNOWING European programmes is a collection initiated 

by the Europ’Act European technical support and coordination 

programme. This collection is designed to provide the 

stakeholders of the European cohesion policy in France with 

elements to reflect upon with a view to reinforcing and 

improving the monitoring and steering of European 

programmes. It includes several types of support such as survey 

summaries, analytical tools and conceptual frameworks. 

Useful links 

or information on European funds in ance, go to: 

http://www.europe-en-france.gouv.fr 

or information on Europ’Act and the KNOWING European 

funds collection, got to: 

http://www.europ-act.eu 

email: europact@datar.gouv.fr 

Contact: 

Mickaël VAILLANT 

Project manager for structural 

funds and innovation 

DATAR - Europe Department 

mickael.vaillant@datar.gouv.fr 

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Summary of french regions' regional innovation ... - Europe en France

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